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After securing a place in the Champions League knockout stages in midweek with a win against Olympiakos, Manchester City return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, as they face Burnley at the Etihad.

A goal from Phil Foden proved to be the difference in Greece but with Kevin De Bruyne set to return to the starting eleven after not travelling in midweek, the English midfielder may miss out against Sean Dyche’s side.

The Clarets secured their first win of the Premier League season last time out with a 1-0 triumph against Crystal Palace so will be buoyed ahead of their trip to Manchester, and they certainly won’t make it easy for the Citizens.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects Guardiola to line up his side against Burnley, with the Spaniard making four changes…

Ederson unsurprisingly keeps his place in goal, whilst Kyle Walker will also more than likely return to the starting 11 after he also didn’t travel in midweek.

Despite an impressive display from John Stones, Aymeric Laporte will probably return at centre-back to continue his recent strong partnership with Ruben Dias.

Although it was a decent returning game from Benjamin Mendy after his latest injury, Joao Cancelo will probably switch back to left-back for the game against Burnley.

There’s one change in midfield as De Bruyne replaces Foden, as although the 20-year-old was extremely impressive against Olympiakos, the game against Burnley will be much more of a physical battle in midfield, so he may be the one axed in place of De Bruyne.

However, he could still make an impact from the bench, as he did earlier in the season against West Ham, which led to Joe Cole praising him following the game, with the pundit saying:

“You can see he’s got a hunger to score and it was an outstanding goal.

“He looked like the best player when he came on the pitch. You look at the amount of money spent on some of the players out there and that’s a young Englishman.

“He’s an outstanding talent and after today Pep (Guardiola) will look at him with a different light because he changed the game.” (per Daily Mail)

Meanwhile, Ferran Torres should return to the starting line-up on the right-hand side, in place of the out-of-form Bernardo Silva, whilst Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus will more than likely complete the attack, although they will want to put their missed chances in midweek behind them.

Guardiola’s side are in desperate need of three points, as they currently sit 14th in the Premier League table, so nothing but maximum points from this game will be acceptable if they have title aspirations for this season.

And, in other news… Manchester City must complete signing of £63m-rated “complete” striker loved by Messi

Goal looks at the players who dazzled all too briefly on the biggest international stage

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  Asamoah Gyan

  Ghana were so very close in 2010. Had it not been for the truly despicable actions of Luis Suarez, Gyan and his team-mates would have become the very first African team ever to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. Gyan was central to their push, leading the line, scoring three goals – two were penalties – but his tournament ended in heartbreak, as Gyan hit the bar in the last-minute of their clash with Uruguay. His career never truly recovered.

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  El-Hadji Diouf

  Selected in the FIFA All-Star Team after the 2002 World Cup, Diouf was truly brilliant for Senegal in South Korea and Japan. After inspiring his country to a remarkable 1-0 win over France – Diouf set up Papa Bouba Diop’s winning goal – Diouf also laid on goals against Uruguay and Sweden. Ultimately, Senegal were knocked out by Turkey in the quarter-finals, and Diouf went on to become one of the most vilified figures in English football at Liverpool.

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  Oleg Salenko

  Prior to the 1994 World Cup, Salenko had not scored for Russia. He netted once from the penalty spot against Sweden, warming himself up rather nicely for an encounter with Cameroon. Nobody saw what was coming, but Salenko scored five times as Russia won 6-1. As a result, he shared the Golden Boot with Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov, despite Russia failing to progress past the group stage. He never played for his country again, and retired at the age of 31 due to weight issues.

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  Salif Diao

  Along with El-Hadji Diouf, Diao was a key part of Senegal’s Earth-shattering win over France, and also scored in the later group stage clash with Denmark, though joy quickly turned sour as he was sent off for a high boot. His displays led to a move to Liverpool, but he was unable to replicate his international form at Anfield and quickly faded from the public consciousness.

David Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady’s slack efforts in the summer transfer market ensured West Ham United failed in their chase of new Tottenham Hotspur signing Joe Rodon.

What’s the word?

Spurs confirmed their capture of Rodon on Friday, having agreed to pay Swansea City a rumoured £15million to make the 22-year-old Jose Mourinho’s seventh signing of the summer.

Rodon, who joins the north London for an initial £11m with £4m in future add-ons and has signed a five-year contract, made 54 appearances for Swansea since emerging from their academy in 2018.

Jacks boss Steve Cooper had called on the centre-half to start all four of their Championship fixtures this term, in which the Liberty Stadium outfit kept three clean sheets to open the campaign unbeaten and two points behind early leaders Bristol City and Reading.

West Ham had considered approaching Swansea over the potential of signing Rodon this summer, with The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg proposing in late September that the Wales international was being assessed along with Arsenal’s Calum Chambers and AS Monaco full-back Djibril Sidibe.

But a deal for Rodon was deemed too expensive, opening a clear path for Spurs to push on and finalise their £15m deal for a defender who started each of Wales’ October internationals for his fifth, sixth and seventh caps.

GSB’s slack efforts prove costly

While West Ham are said to have walked away from any deal to sign Rodon after deeming the £15m fee needed to be too expensive, the slack efforts of Gold, Sullivan and Brady to offload those deemed surplus to requirements must be held partly responsible for the 22-year-old joining Spurs.

From the end of the prolonged 2019/20 season, the Irons were touting the likes of Felipe Anderson on the transfer market in the hopes their departures would raise needed funds that could go towards improving David Moyes’ squad. But the Brazilian remained in east London right until the international market closed when he joined FC Porto on loan.

The departure of academy graduate Grady Diangana was also said to have been sanctioned so that the £18m raised could be put toward signing a new defender, and yet Rodon was deemed too expensive and it was not until the final week of the domestic window that Watford’s Craig Dawson was signed on loan.

Had GSB managed to offload more of the deadwood soon enough, then West Ham may have been able to persist with negotiations for Rodon and not see the 22-year-old join London rivals Tottenham in what he has since described as a dream move.

“It’s a massive honour,” Rodon said of his transfer, via quotes by the Daily Mail. “This is a massive club, and I can’t wait to get started.

“Coming from my boyhood club to this position is only something I could have dreamed of. It’s been a great week and to finish it off in this way is a dream come true.”

AND in other news, West Ham potentially saved £16m in being snubbed by a summer target.

West Ham United must make a late U-turn and submit a transfer offer for Blackburn Rovers forward Adam Armstrong, who Hammers chiefs reportedly admire.

What’s the word?

According to Irons insider ExWHUemployee, Armstrong is a player thought of highly by club chiefs at the London Stadium but an offer is not expected ahead of the EFL transfer window closing on Friday.

West Ham currently have a striker group consisting of Michail Antonio and Sebastien Haller, with boss David Moyes thus far favouring the former to start each Premier League game this term and the latter in the Carabao Cup.

Armstrong, nicknamed the ‘Angel of the North’, was Blackburn’s top-scorer last season with 17 goals across all competitions and has started the 2020/21 campaign strongly with six in six games.

The West Denton-born centre-forward opened his tally for the term with a strike against the recently-relegated AFC Bournemouth, before bagging a hat-trick at home to Wycombe Wanderers.

Armstrong joined Blackburn from Newcastle United’s academy side in 2018 for what Rovers boss Tony Mowbray described as a “bargain” £1.75million (Chronicle), and would set any interested party back an eight-figure fee after Premier League interest earlier in the year.

He left St. James’ Park having played just 565 minutes in the Toon first-team, but has impressed Magpies boss Steve Bruce with how he’s taken his game to another level since leaving Tyneside.

“He’s a great finisher the kid, great with both feet, he can finish,” Bruce said ahead of facing Blackburn in the Carabao Cup last month, via quotes by the Chronicle.

“We have the situation now where sometimes you have to leave the club to progress in your career. That happens up and down the country. What you want is to see people go and have a career and to be fair Adam Armstrong is one.”

GSB must pull a U-turn

With Moyes currently able to call on just two recognised senior strikers, David Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady would be wise to pull a late U-turn and approach Blackburn over talks to lure Armstrong to the London Stadium.

The 23-year-old has proven to be a machine in front of the net since his move to Blackburn Rovers, and currently boasts a goal every 72 minutes in the Championship this season after turning home five in four games. He also averages 4.3 shots and plays 0.8 key balls a match, while making one successful dribble, wins 2.5 ground duels and earns one foul, per SofaScore.

His average 35.5 touches per game are also spread out across the opponent’s half, showing how Armstrong could become a versatile member of the Irons offence if signed before the window closes on Friday.

If not, GSB risk Moyes persisting with a limited offence if Antonio or Haller are forced to sit out any fixtures, with Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals the only others to have fired home in a Premier League game this term.

AND in other news, West Ham can sign a “gifted” long-term target before Friday’s deadline after a Premier League rival turned to alternative options.

Tottenham Hotspur saw no fewer than six new players walk through the front door during this summer’s hectic transfer window but might they reject one of their more substantial moves already?

It was pretty evident early doors that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho was pursuing a full-back – as if it wasn’t already clear by his comments to Serge Aurier during their ‘All or Nothing’ docuseries.

Eventually, the north London outfit signed Matt Doherty from league rivals Wolves in a £15m deal but he may well have been a lot further down the shortlist originally.

Reliable sources linked the club to other players prior to the move.

The Telegraph’s Matt Law claimed in August that Spurs were trying to offload Juan Foyth and Aurier to fund a move for Lille’s Zeki Celik whilst Max Aarons was once thought to be the top target to replace the Ivory Coast international after The Athletic made such claims in July.

But perhaps it was another mooted target that Daniel Levy should rue missing out on, and that’s Timothy Castagne, who instead joined one of Spurs’ likely competitors for a spot in Europe next year, Leicester City, despite personally requesting a conversation with Mourinho himself.

The Belgian, who featured versus England last week, cost only £22m and that additional £7m already looks to be the better end of the stick after the opening round of Premier League fixtures.

Not only is Castagne four years younger, but he has also contributed to three goals in just four matches whereas Doherty is yet to do so.

He’s also averaging more tackles (1.5), interceptions (1.5), key passes (one), dribbles (one) and crosses (0.5) per game than the Irishman, via WhoScored. Castagne even has a better passing success rate at 80% having managed more passes (56.3) each match too.

If those workhorse numbers aren’t enough, the 24-year-old is also able to play at left-back, which only makes him seem even more like the better option – at least from the first four matches we’ve seen this season.

Although the early signs are there that Castagne was the one that got away.

AND in other news, Spurs truly missed out on a perfect Eriksen successor in £55m magician…

West Ham United could move quickly on from Grady Diangana with a dip into the transfer market and one name has been linked with a move to the London Stadium this week…

What’s the word?

According to A Bola (via Sport Witness), the Hammers are one of three Premier League clubs chasing Sporting Lisbon winger Jovane Cabral this summer.

It’s claimed that West Ham have been following the 22-year-old since last season, although the Portuguese outfit are yet to receive any concrete offers for their attacking star.

They are believed to want around €20m (£18m) for his services with Tottenham Hotspur and newly-promoted Fulham also in the race.

Diangana alternative

On Wednesday, news broke that the Irons hierarchy had accepted a bid of £18m from West Brom for their loan sensation Diangana, meaning the Hammers are going to lose out on one of their own exciting talents.

However, Cabral wouldn’t be a bad replacement whatsoever.

Per WhoScored, the Portuguese wizard provided six goals and two assists in just 19 appearances, averaging 2.9 shots, 2.1 dribbles and 1.2 key passes per game.

It means Cabral manages more attempts at goal than any other Hammers player, including Michail Antonio and Seb Haller so clearly he’d be a nice threat to have in east London.

He has been likened to one-time Irons target Gelson Martins and dubbed as a “wing sensation” by PortuGOAL whilst Manchester United’s January addition Bruno Fernandes has been a bit of a mentor for him even since swapping Portugual for Old Trafford.

“I didn’t teach him anything. What he did in the game is down to his quality, his ability. In my opinion, he did not have a great game because I know Jovane’s quality and I think he can give more,” said Fernandes to Canal 11 (via InsideFutbol).

David Moyes couldn’t do much wrong if he manages to clinch Cabral as a direct successor to the departing Diangana.

AND in other news, Hammers plotting shock transfer for the ‘German Messi’…

Eberechi Eze has been tipped to move to the Premier League after catching the eye for Queens Park Rangers. 

QPR have reportedly rejected an offer from Crystal Palace for the attacking midfielder this summer, and Eze has been touted to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although the Lilywhites have been informed that he will cost at least £20m, amid interest from West Brom and West Ham.

According to Football.London’s Alasdair Gold, Spurs have a ‘great relationship’ with QPR, with plenty of links between the two clubs. Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is rumoured to be a keen admirer of the two-cap England under-21 international as he seeks to rebuild his midfield before the start of next season.

The Lilywhites have been linked with the 22-year-old before and he has admitted that he is inspired by Dele Alli, who made the jump from MK Dons to Spurs and went on to play for England at the World Cup.

Spurs duo Jack Clarke and Luke Amos both spent the past season on loan at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, which could pave the way for Eze to head in the opposite direction.

Gold notes that QPR want to sign Amos, as he has a close relationship with Mark Warburton, and Daniel Levy may look to use the defensive midfielder as leverage to sort out a deal for his teammate in the summer.

Eze, who is 22 years of age, scored 14 goals and supplied eight assists in the Championship last season (via WhoScored).

Mourinho knows that he must strengthen in the summer, as Spurs struggled to score during Harry Kane’s absence, although he will have a limited budget with which to work in the transfer window.

While the set-piece specialist has made it clear that he wants to “play at the highest level”, he will want to play first-team football, which is something Mourinho cannot guarantee. The Lilywhites should be able to offer European football if they progress through the qualifying rounds of the Europa League, although Eze could decide to take his chances elsewhere instead.

It would be a real shame if Mourinho misses out on his man, with Eze emerging as one of the best players in the Championship. Levy will have to act quickly if he wants to avoid a repeat of not getting Aston Villa star Jack Grealish for a cheaper price, as the Midlanders’ captain will now cost a staggering £80m in the transfer market.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sign Eze this summer? Let us know your opinion in the comments below!

Whilst it may not turn out to be the big summer of spending Jose Mourinho may have been hoping for at Tottenham, the Portuguese boss will no doubt be keen to further stamp his authority on the first-team squad in north London.

And according to the latest reports, Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez is firmly within Spurs’ sights ahead of a potential summer move. As per The Daily Mirror (via The Daily Express), the Lilywhites have been offered the chance to sign the 28-year-old for a relatively affordable price, said to be around £16m plus add-ons.

Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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The report further claims that with Vazquez’s deal at the Santiago Bernabeu coming to an end following the conclusion of next season, Los Blancos have made it clear that he is available for an exit this summer.

After hearing about their links to the Spaniard, Spurs fans took to Twitter to share their reactions to the news.

Some Spurs fans couldn’t quite believe that the club are targeting another right-sided winger, with one supporter in particular suggesting that it would be a “waste of money” and that they “might as well get Fraser”.

At 28, Vazquez is arguably in the prime years of his career, and whilst he hasn’t had too many opportunities this season (he has played just 18 times across all competitions), he comes with bags of top-level experience.

With the market this summer likely to be unlike any other, finding shrewd bargains is going to be the real defining test. And at potentially just £16m for a player who has won multiple Champions League trophies with Real Madrid, and still has at least a few more years in the tank, could be right up Spurs’ alley.

So whilst a few fans are annoyed at the prospect of another winger joining, Vazquez has got the credentials to slot straight into the Spurs squad and offer them more squad depth in those attacking positions.

Many Leeds United fans have been reacting to news about Ben White, after The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealed a number of Premier League clubs are interested in signing the defender in the summer.  

Speaking on his weekly podcast, The Phil Hay Show, the sports writer provided an update on White’s future at Elland Road, with many of the league’s biggest clubs keeping a close eye on the youngster.

Hay said: “he’s had Liverpool on his case right the way through the season. Their talent scout is Andy O’Brien, the former Leeds defender, who’s been watching him a lot.”

He added: “I’m hearing that both City and Manchester United are keen as well.”

The Brighton loanee has attracted a number of admirers, including the likes of Premier League giants Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United, following a string of impressive performances for Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites.

After arriving at the Yorkshire outfit from the Seagulls last summer on a short-term contract, the 22-year-old has put in a defensive shift at the back, featuring in 37 games in the Championship, making 1.7 tackles per game, averaging 2.3 interceptions, and successfully completing 3 clearances on average in the English second tier (via WhoScored).

Naturally, loads of supporters responded to the pundit’s latest revelation. While some noted there are alternatives if Leeds get promoted, others lamented the suggestion White could leave the Peacocks before the start of next season. One fan sarcastically commented “cheers Phil, just what we need when we’re on lockdown.”

Scroll through some of the mixed reactions down below…

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Leeds discussion going on in the Vital Leeds Forum! Click here to get involved!

Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho will have to work with a reduced transfer budget this summer, according to reports, as the north London side try to financially cope post-pandemic.

It means Spurs could see themselves restricted to free transfers and swap deals just one year after the club broke their record transfer fee to land French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele in a £55m coup.

One target that fans seem to be pleased with is Ryan Fraser – the AFC Bournemouth winger is set to leave the Cherries at the end of the season following the expiry of his contract.

The 26-year-old hasn’t had the best of campaigns, scoring just once in 32 appearances albeit with four assists, too but the south coasters have endured a tough season overall.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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Although last term, Fraser enjoyed a fruitful spell, bagging eight goals and 15 assists, via Transfermarkt.

Which is why many in north London appear to be happy over the thought of clinching the Scotsman on a free, especially instead of Willian and even over Erik Lamela.

Here’s what the Spurs faithful have been saying about the potential move…

AND in other news, Spurs fans react to fresh Milinkovic-Savic reports…